process for converting oils



March 8, 1932. L. J. GARY PROCESS FOR CONVERTING OILS Original Filed June 9. 1922 I N VEN TOR.

lee J 'ar A TTORNEY.

. Original application filed June 9, 1922,

Patented Mar. 8, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LEE 3'. GARY, OF CI HIGAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO UNIVERSAL OIL'PROD'UOTS COM- PANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF SOUTH DAKOTA PROCESS FOR CONVERTING OILS This invention relates to improvements in process for converting oils and refers more particularly to the conversion of heavy hydrocarbon oils'into lighter boiling point products, such as gasoline and the like, by subjecting these heavy oils to the action of heat and ressure.

Th1s application is a division of my former application Serial Number 566,932, filed June 9, 1922.

The invention consists inheating the oil, preferably in a continuous coil of small pipe and then passing it to successive enlarged reaction chambers where the oil is further heated and vaporization takes place. Each of these reaction chambers is provided with individual reflux condensing means, which are in turn connected to a vapor line leading to a cooling coil. The arrangement is such that the reflux condensate from any of the reflux condensers can be'returned to any or all of the enlarged chambers for further treatment or to the heating coils, or it may be withdrawn from each reflux condenser into a main line and conducted out of the system. In other words, this reflux condensate can be conducted to any part, in or out of the system merely by the manipulation of suitable valves, hereinafter described and explained in detail. The whole system may be maintained undera uniform pressure of the vapors generated therein, or differential pressures may be used.

The single figure in the drawing is a Vertical sectional view of an oil cracking apparatus showing my invention. 3

Referring to the drawing, the oil is conducted from any suitable source of supply through the line 1, regulated by the valve 2, to the pump 3. The discharge side of the pump 3 is connected with line 4 leading into the heating coils 5. The heating coil which, in the present instance, comprises a continuous coil of small diameter pipe, say 2", is mounted in the furnace 6, which is heated by gas burner 7. The oil after being heated in the heating coil 5, is passed through the transfer pipe 8, provided with valves 8' and 8", the latter, in the present instance, being closed and the heated oil passed into the top Serial. No. 566,932. Divided and this application filed March 8, 1927. Serial No. 172,419.

of the first enlarged chamber. There are four of these chambers shown in the present instance, designated 9, 10, 11 and '12 respectively, which chambers are provided with oil transfer lines 13, 14 and 15 and with vap'or transfer lines 16, 17 and 18. It is understood, of course, that more or less of these chambers may be provided, if desirable. These chambers are so mounted in the furnace 19, which is heated by means of burner 20 and provided with stack 21, that their upper and lower portions are outside of the fire zone. Each of these chambers is provided with a residuum drawofi indicated at 22, 23, 24, and 25, regulated by valves 26, 27, 28, and 29 respectively and with vapor outlets 30, 31, 32 and 33. These vapor outlets lead into the dephlegmators or reflux condensers 34, 35, 36 and 37, which in turn are provided with vaporoutlet lines 38, 39, 40 and 41 leading into the vapor line 42. The vapor line 42 is provided with valves 42a, 42b, 420. This vapor line 42 in turn is connected to the condensing or cooling coils 43, seated in condenser box 44, connected by pipe 45 with receiver 46. The receiver 46 1s equipped with pressure gauge 47,1iqu1d level gauge 48, pressure relief valve 49, and drawoflf line 50, regulated by valve 51.

Referring again to the dephlegmators 34, 35, 36 and 37, they are provided with the cap portions 52, 53, 54, and 55, extending over the vapor outlets 30, 31, 32, and 33, to allow the vapors from ingress into the dephlegmators but preventing any condensed liquids from falling back into the enlarged chambers 9, 10. 11 and 12. Each dephlegmator is provided with a reflux condensate drawoif line indicated at 56, 57, 58 and 59 regulated by the valves 60, 61, 62 and 63, leading into the drawoif line 64. This drawofl line 64 is provided with the valves 65, 66, 67 and 68 for regulating the flow of condensate therethrough. This line 64 is also provided with 'drawoif pipes 69, 70, 71 and 72 controlled by the valves 73, 74, 75 and 76, leading into the chambers 9, 10, 11 and 12. The pipes 69, 70, 71 and 72 preferably extend below the liquid level in the enlarged chambers, as shown. The dephlegmators 35, 36, 37 are also provided with reflux drawofi pipes 77 and 78 and '2' 9, controlled by valves 80, 81 and 82, which lead into the preceding reacting chamber, below the liquid level thereof. For the purpose of drawing off any condensate either from the line 64 or from the dephlegmator 37, I provide a drawoff line 83, controlled by valve 84, and leading to any suitable storage. The vapor transfers 16, 17 and 18 are provided with the valves 85, 86 and 87 for the purpose of controlling the flow of vapors therethrough'and also for the purpose of 0011- trolling the pressure maintained on each chamber. The vapor lines 30, 31, 32 and 33 are also provided with the valves 88, 89, 90 and 91 for the same purpose. Liquid level gauge 92 is provided on the chamber 12 for the purpose of ascertaining the liquid level therein.

One method of operation would be as follows: The oil is charged into the heating coils 5, through the pump 3 and there heated to a temperature of say 400 degrees F. The heated oil is then forced through the transfer line 8, the valve 8 being opened and the valve 8" being closed, into the chamber 9, where the lighter boiling point fractions vaporize instantly and pass up into the dephlegmator 34, the valve 88 being opened and the valve 85 closed. The unvaporized liquid in the chamber 9 is subjected to further heat and when this liquid reaches the level of the liquid transfer pipe 13, it will overflow into the chamber 10. As the level in the chamber 10 rises, it will overflow into chamber 11 through the transfer pipe l landthis operation repeated in the tank 12 by means of the pipe 15, until the chambers are all at the same level as indicated by the liquid level gauge 92. The liquid level. may be maintained uniformly throughout the chambers by manipulationof the valve 29 on the drawoff line 25, or the level maintained by manipulation of the valves on the drawofl pipes at the bottom of each chamber, which drawoif pipes, as stated, are outside of the fire Valves 93, 94, 65, 66, 67, 68, 61, 62, 63 will be closed and valves 80, 81, 82, 60, and will be opened thus allowing the reflux condensate from the reflux condensers 35, 36, and 37 to flow back into the preceding chamber for retreatment, and condensate from the reflux condenser 34 being allowed to flow back into the chamber-9. It is understood that the vapor transfer lines between the chambers would be closed by closing the valves 85, 86, and87. I

A pressure of say 125 pounds to the square inch may be maintained throughout the system, and the oil in the enlarged chambers heated to a temperature of say 750 degrees F., more or less.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the V art that the process may be operated in many various ways by the many valves shown, for

instance, by regulating the valve 8', the valve 8 being closed. A different pressure can be maintained on the heating coils than that maintained on the reaction chambers. For instance, a pressure of 400 pounds may be held on the heating coils and the pressure reduced in the first chamber 9 to say 200 pounds, and the process operated as above. In addition, each reaction chamber may be heated separately by means of heating means suitably placed under them, and the fire in furnace 19 not used. The oil could be heated in the heating coils to say, 700 degrees F., then passed to the original chamber 9, which is not heated. It will be readily seen that certain of the heat 'units would radiate, although the reaction chambers would be preferably lagged, and that the temperature Would decrease in this first chamber. When the oil reaches the second chamber 10, it could be again heated by means of the individual burners explained above and further heated in the chambers 11 and 12 by means of individual burners.

The process and apparatus could be operated under a vacuum by suitable vacuum pump being attached to the receiver, and the whole system being regulated by the various valves under this vacuum.

I claim as my invention:

1. A process for the heat treatment of hydrocarbon oils to cause a rearrangement of the molecular structure thereof and to produce from higher boiling point hydrocarbon oils lower boiling point constituents amenable to refining for use as a motor fuel, which consists in passing the oil in an elongated restricted stream through a heating zone wherein a cracking heat is imparted to the oil and a superatmospherio pressure is maintained on the stream'of oil being heated, discharging the oil so heated successively into a series of chambers in each of which vapors are evolved from the heated oil and liquid oil collects in a pool and overflows to the next succeeding chambcr, maintaining said chambers under cracking conditions of temperature and pressure, taking off the evolved vapors separately from each of said chambers and subjecting them to individual dephlegmation independent of the vapors from the other chambers of the series, passing the reflux condensate formed by the individual dephlegmation of vapors from one chamber directly back to a preceding chamber of the series, whereby such reflux condensate is commingled with liquid oil of a character diflerent from the oil from which it was evolved, and finally collecting and condensing as the product of the pr cess, the vapors uncondensed in the dephlegmation step from which the reflux condensate was returned to a preceding chamber.

2. A process for the heat treatment of hydrocarbon oils to cause a rearrangement of the molecular structure thereof and to produce from higher boiling point hydrocarbon oils lower boiling point constituents amenable to refining for use as a motor fuel, which consists in passing the oil in an elongated restricted stream through a heating zone Wherein a cracking heat is imparted to the oil and a superatmospheric pressure is maintainedon the stream of oil being heated, discharging the oil so heated successivelyinto a series of chambers in each of which vapors are evolved.

from the heated oil and liquid oil collects in a pool and overflows to the'next succeeding chamber, maintaining said chambers under cracking conditions of temperature and pressure, taking oil the evolved vapors separately from each of saidchambers and subjecting them to individual dephlegmation independent of the vapors from the other chambers of the series, passing the reflux condensate formed by the individual dephlegmation of vapors from one chamber directly back to a preceding chamber of the series whereby such reflux condensate is commingled with iquid oil of a character diflerent from the oil from which it was evolved, finally collecting and condensing as the product of the process, the vapors uncondensed in the dephlegmation step from which the reflux condensate was returned to a preceding chamber, sub'ecting the vapors from the remaining cham ers to dephlegmation, and final condensation together with the vapors uncondensed in the first mentioned dephlegmation step.

3. A process for the heat treatment of hydrocarbon oils to cause a rearrangement of the molecular structure thereof and to pro duce from higher boiling point hydrocarbon oils lower boiling point constituents amenable to refining for use as a motor fuel, which consists in passing the oil in an elongated restricted stream through a heating zone wherein a cracking heat is imparted to the oil'and a superatmospheric pressure is maintained on the stream of oil oil so heated successively into a series of chambers in each of which vapors are evolved from the heated oil and liquid oilcolle'cts in a pool and overflows to the next succeeding chamber, cracking conditions of temperature and pressure, taking off the evolved vapors separately from each of said chambers and subjecting 5 is of a character different fromthat which the reflux condensate was evolved.

them to individual dephlegmation independent of the vapors from the other chambers of the series, to separate sufliciently cracked portionsvof the vapors from the insufliciently cracked portions which are condensed therein as reflux condensate, passing densate so separated from the sufliciently cracked vapors, directly back to a preceding chamber of the series, whereby said reflux condensate 'is commingled with liquid oil which is undergoing treatment, and wfhich rom ' of the series,

being heated discharging the from each of said reaction zones and intro-- ducing the same to independent dephlegmating zones associated with the respective reaction zones, condensing .insufliciently cracked fractions of the vapors as reflux condensate in said dephlegmating zones, passlng reflux condensate from a dephlegmating zone associated with one of said reaction zones into a preceding reaction zone in the series, and re moving and condensing the vapors uncon densed 1n sa1d dephlegmating zones.

5. A hydrocarbon oil cracking process which comprises passing the oil serially through a'plurality of interconnected reac tion zones and maintaining the oil under cracking conditions of temperature and pressure in each of said zones, removing vapors from each of said reaction zones and introducing the same to independent dephlegmating zones associated with the respective re action zones, condensing insufiiciently cracked fractions of the vapors as reflux condensate in said dephlegmatlng zones, passing reflux condensate from each of said dephlegmating zones except the one assooiated with the first reaction zone into the preceding reaction zone and removing and condensing the vapors uncondensed in said dephlegmating zones.

LEE J. GARY.

maintaining said chambers under the reflux con- 7 DIsQLAIMER 1,848,876.1iee J. Gary, Chicago, Ill. Pnocnss ron CONVERTING OILS. Patent dated March 8, 1932. Disclaimer filed July 24, 1935, by the patentee, the ass gnee, Universal Oil Products Company, consenting.

Hereby enters this disclaimer to that part of the claim in said specificationwhich is in the following words, to wit: 7

4. A hydrocarbon oil cracking-process which comprises passing the oil serially through a'pluralityof interconnected reaction zones and maintaining the oil under cracking conditions of temperature and pressure in each of said zones, removing vapors from each of said reaction zones and introducing the same to independent dephlegmating zones associated with the respective reaction zones, condensing insufficiently cracked fractions of the vapors as reflux condensate in said dephlegmating zones, passing reflux condensate from a dephlegmating zone associated with one of said reaction zones into. a preceding reaction zone in the series, and removing and condensing the vapors uncondensed in said dephlegmating zones.

5. A hydrocarbon oil cracking process which comprises passing the 011 serially through a plurality of interconnected reaction zones and maintaining the oil under cracking conditions of temperature and pressure in each of said zones,

removing vapors from each of said reaction zones and introducing the same to independentdephlegmating zones associated with the respective reactionzones,condensing insufliciently cracked fractions of the vapors as reflux condensate in said dephlegmating zones, passing reflux condensate from each of said dephlegmating zones except the one associated with the first reaction zone into the preceding, reaction zone" of the series, and removing and condensing the vapors uncondensed in said dephlegmat" zones.

I If i421 Gazette August 13, 1935.] 

